NeuroTalk Support Groups - L4-S1 Fusion Success Story

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- - L4-S1 Fusion Success Story (https://www.neurotalk.org/spinal-disorders-and-back-pain/15857-l4-s1-fusion-success-story.html)

surgery coming up on 5/30/08

Thanks to all, especially KiwiMike. I see that there havent been many recent posts, so I hope someone will see this! I was in a horrific car crash 3 years ago and suffered 2 herniations at L4-L5 and L5-S1. The higher herniation has ruptured, and after 3 years of conservative treatment (PT, Pain Management, Epidural Injections) I have told the Docs that I want surgery. I have met with 3 seperate Docs her in CT, and all have said that a 2 level fusion from L4 to S1 is the only option. They all agree that Laminectomy will not help because my main pain issues are in the low back rather than down the legs. They say that they expect a 75% improvement. I am a Police Officer and have always been very active and was a Ski Instructor part time. I really want to get back to the slopes, and start to really enjoy my young children, who are becoming increasingly more demanding for Daddy to play with them, which has been very difficult. I am only 39, and I feel like I have the body of 80. I walk with a definite limp now, which has been causing horrible pain in my knees. Now that the Docs have called out of the blue and told me, "It's a go for 5/30"; I have gottne very anxious about weather I am doing the right thing. The years since my accident have been very traumatic for me, and the feelings of being trapped and helpless have been very hard to deal with. I have been in psychotherapy for PTSD and suicidal thoughts, which thankfully have gone away; but now I am really worried about negative side effects. I dont want to be in worse shape than before, and I am very nervous about possible sexual side effects (thanks to something one of the Docs said; which was probably pretty innocent, but the seed is planted). I feel like I really understand the physics of what is wrong with me, and I believe that the surgery will really help. I know that Mike has had a really great outcome, and even though Abby was pretty distrought shortly after, it seems like your much better now too. Thanks for listening, and any encouraging words will help a lot.

I am sorry to hear of all that you have been through. I encourage you to do your best to remain optimistic with the success of the outcome of your surgery. It is scary and it is very difficult at first but I truly believe that if you follow the helpful hints that everyone has posted on this board, you'll do fine. :)

Part of my agony came from the fact that they cut through so much muscle. I have a 7-inch scar on my back to prove it. :( But muscle does heal relatively fast. The physical therapy was very tiring for me, it still is at times. But you must do it, don't slack. And again, I think extra vitamins really help. Take a trip to the health food store and let them know what you're up against. I found them to be very helpful here.

Another part of my agony was simply that with the exception of my cats, I live alone so while my son was great about helping me, he doesn't live here and has a very demanding job hence, he was limited to how much he could help. Much of the general stuff was stuff I had to do or it didn't get done. By the same token, don't just let everyone do everything. Try to do what you can.

When it comes to the big stuff like our big snow storm that left 4ft high drifts on my walkway, obviously that is stuff that my son took care of. Things like laundry I did. Vaccuuming he did, etc.

I am due for my next X-ray soon and my son states he'll take me back out on the golf course as soon as he gets the okay from the doctor. :)

Be patient, be strong, keep your chin up. Healing takes 12 to 18 months of work. And I offer the best of luck to you. :) The vet I take my little ones too told me that his brother had the same surgery one year ago and he is back on the ski slopes. He stated that I would probably find that I could actually do much more after the healing process is complete and I believe that's true.

One more thing, on that dreaded time when women feel so bloated, my back hurts. I eat a lot of foods that help prevent that now. I read that for every 8 lbs of excess fat particularly on the stomach area, is pressure on the spine. The walking helps if it's done correctly. I did a search on walking and it does show how to walk to keep good posture. This really helps too.

Please keep us posted!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bevchcgo (Post 243086)

I wanted to write and thank everyone for their posts and information regarding the L-4 - S-1 fusion, especially KiwiMike. I am having a laminectomy and L4/S-1 fusion this Thursday, 3/27. My surgeon wants me to walk some each day and gradually get it up to 3 miles in 3 months. That seems like an awful lot!

Isn't the fusion complete after 6 months? I'm a little scared of the pain and will be on the morphine pump in the hospital, and then, he said likely percocet and muscle relaxers for I don't know how long at home.

Anyway, you have all relieved some of my pre-surgery anxiety and I thank you for that!

Bev

No worries Bev, i hope it has been successful for you, don't fear the pain, its a small price to pay for the freedom you will get and trust me ,it will go quite quickly.The fusion can complete after 6 months, but for full stability and strength to return to your back i have been told to allow 12 months at least. I guess some people will heal quicker than others, but as a general rule of thumb and from my experience i would allow 12 months for a full fusion recovery.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike508 (Post 275354)

Mike, your story reads just like mine , suicidal thoughts and all. Trust me, though , go and do it, you won't look back, i to was scared and wish i had this forum to read before i went in, i didn't though and just had horror stories in my head when i went in, but i did it and it was the best decision of my life as you will have read. I just turned 33 and also had thoughts pre-op about being able to play with my children one day when i have them so i know what your going through, also i snowboard/ski to like you so was keen to get back out there and since my op i have done! . Its been 18 months now since my op and it just gets better, i am playing football and running and playing touch rugby all without pain. I hope you go through with the op and i can tell you that before you know it you will be throwing your children round having fun! > Just stick to a good re-hab/fitness routine post-op, don't over do it, listen to your body and once again, don't try and be a tuff guy and over do it to earlier! ;-)

All the best brother and let us all know how you get on.

Cheers
Mike

PS Don't worry about sexual side effects, everything for me is working 100%, if anything i think it made me better!

Hey Abby, glad to see your still around the forums and helping out others to, also sounds like things are going well for you since your op ?? ...the recovery still going well ??...nice comments about the walking, i really believe it to be a crucial part of recovery in the earlier stages as it did wonders for me.

Cheers
Mike

Thank you very much to everyone. This is a very encouraging post. The bad results speak so loud, it is hard to here the positive outcomes.

I have been waiting for several years to make the decsion, it keeps getting put off due to the "what if's". This past week I spent a day in the ER because of a bladder/kidney infection, I never knew it because I dont have much feeling during urination due to the disc problems. Didnt even notice till it was so bad I needed IV antibiotics.

I have a spinal surgeon who is scheduling me for lumbar fusion surgery, but needs a repeat discogram, since mine is over 2 years old, to confirm what everyone allready knows is there, unfortunetly we cant find anyone to do that till late July. My only concern is that this surgeon wants to go from the back instead of thru the abdomen which I am told will be a shorter and easier recovery. I do have some calls in for a second opinion at Penn in Philly but havent heard back.

Anyway, thanks again for the encouraging posts.

Quote:

Originally Posted by labar914 (Post 295758)

If i understand you right doing the back fusion through the back is the normal way these days mate, thru the abdomen is an old technique not used anymore from what i know , so it sounds right mate, i wouldn't worry about that, mine was through the back, no problem. If your looking for confirmation about the surgeon, ask around, findout how many ops this surgeon has done and how many were a complete success ??, is there anyone better in the area ?? ...ask nurses who work with these guys , who's the best ??...i did this and not only got the best spinal surgeon in New Zealand, but also the one who does the best stitching up! my scar is very small and healed very well with no infection and that info i got from the nurses who look after the patients when these guys have done there work. ask around mate, it doesn't hurt and people and are always to willing to share their opinion.

all the best bro!
Mike

Quote:

Originally Posted by kiwimike (Post 296403)

ask nurses who work with these guys , who's the best ??...i did this and not only got the best spinal surgeon Mike

I am lucky, I went to school with some Occupational Therapists that work with this doctor. They have seen good results, and cant say anything bad about him. He is very straight forward and doesnt beat around the bush. I dont work in rehab anymore, but rather with kids in the school. My PM doc just mentioned he would prefer the other way due to healing. We will see.

Take Care

Hi,

I am two weeks post surgery after an L5S1 fusion with pedicle screws and rods as instrumentation. I walk every day. Before the surgery i had severe mechanical lower back pain and occasional travel of pain to left lower leg. My condition was deemed as grade 2 spondylolisthesis. I am doing ok so far with basic movements and walk a lot every day.

Wanted to know what is the outcome of the surgery on the adjacent levels of vertebra.

Quote:

Originally Posted by kiwimike (Post 81241)

Firstly i just wanted to post this to encourage all those out there that are thinking of having spinal surgery because there are good success stories out there. Before i went through mine i had read alot on the internet about peoples horror stories and it almost put me off having it. but the constant thoughts of suicide were annoying me and i didn't want those things in my head anymore and i thought it surely can't get any worse than it is now. So i had a L4-S1 posterolateral fusion with instrumentation and now 3 months later i am pain free. Please be encouraged , these guys can get it right, sure there are horror stories out there and i know that those people to can be fixed, just hang in there (thats you Pam :wink: ). And to those who are thinking about it please go for it, because you don't want to carry on as you are with pain and always think to yourself, "i wonder if the surgery would have fixed it ?" , i waited 10 years before i finally had the courage to go through with it and i wish i had done it years ago.

This was briefly my situation somedays my pain was bearable , other days I could hardly bend over or climb stairs, (the day I was to have the op in hospital I felt great , always the way though isn’t it! , but I still went through with it)

Heres a few tips if you do decide to go through with it.

1. Firstly ask around about surgeons, find a good one ,ring around as many medical places as you can and ask “who’s the best spinal surgeon?” I managed to speak with a patient of one surgeon who raved about her op and how good this guy was (she had the same problems as me and had the 2 level fusion done to fix it and never regretted it) so I went with him in the end.

2. If you have the op TAKE IT EASY !!!!, no running, jumping , lifting for at least the first 3 months, this was hard for me as i am an active person, but fight the urge!, the best thing you can do is walk, just a little to start with , then go further and further each day.Listen to your body, it will let you know if you over do it (i had this happen twice) I have only just started light running after 3 months but will continue to not do much up until month 6. There is still lots of healing going on inside you, even though you may feel great, TAKE IT EASY PLEASE! , i can not stress that enough. This is major surgery and your body needs lots of time to heal , don't stress it out by thinking that you feel great after 2 months and can do whatever you like. I laid out on the couch for the first 3 weeks and just watched movies, the only thing i did was my walk each day and i believe this aided big time in a successful recovery.

Well that's all for now, if anyone has any questions, please ask me!! and please all those who still have issues from things that have gone wrong , hang in there! and all those considering this type of surgery , as long as you have exhausted all other options (ie physio, chiropractic, orthopaedic methods just as i did as surgery is the last option) then go for it and i wish you the best!

Cheers
Mike :)

PS Don't expect to end up so your as good as you were when you were 18 cause i'm def. not! , but i'm active again without pain and i'm happy with no more suicide thoughts at all.My goal is to beable to play soccer again, i am aiming to play my first game on the 1 year anniversary of my operation.

through the back

Hey Mike, glad to hear you are still doing so well. I haven't had my June X-ray yet but feel quite good. I need to get it done.

Labar, I wouldn't worry about through the back. I think that's pretty standard. Mine was through the back. I'm too old for bikinis so I suppose it didn't make a difference either way with me though. lol Good luck!